Conventionally, in multi-step production lines for semiconductor devices, thin film devices and the like, various in-line inspections are performed with a view to achieving improvement of product quality and stabilization of equipment, and there is introduced a system for determining an abnormal step or equipment unit that causes a product failure or the like based on inspection information acquired by the in-line inspections. For example, JP 2005-197629 A discloses a technique that defect distribution states of product substrates are classified based on information acquired by a pattern defect inspection, which is one of the in-line inspections, followed by performing common path analysis as to the similarity level of the defect distribution states by using production history information, by which problematic equipment candidates are specifically determined.
In the technique of JP 2005-197629 A, a report display screen is presented to report a user on the result of determination of problematic equipment candidates. This report display screen contains information (product type, lot number, inspection date, etc.) for identifying abnormality-detected inspected wafers, inspection information (defect distribution images) as to those wafers, information (device name, etc.) for identifying problematic equipment candidates, information (defect distribution images) from which the problematic equipment candidates have been identified, and information representing statuses (being problematic or not, countermeasure-taken or not) of the problematic equipment candidates.